Audi 80 B4 (1991–1995)

From B3 to B4: what Audi reworked

The B4 kept the B3's roof, windscreen and basic structure but changed almost everything around them. German references describe it as about 9 cm longer than the B3, with a wheelbase just under 8 cm longer. ADAC data confirms the step: 2,612 mm (102.8 in) for the B4 saloon against 2,546 mm (100.2 in) for a B3.

The rear suspension was the key change. The B3's torsion crank axle gave way to a compound trailing-arm axle with coil springs and telescopic dampers. Audi also redesigned the fuel tank and mounted it lying flat, which freed space for a deeper, flat boot floor and folding rear seatbacks. The B3 had been criticised for its oddly shaped boot, so this answered a real complaint.

Outside, the grille became part of a new bonnet, the wheel arches were widened for standard 15-inch wheels (195/65 R15 on the base car) and the bumpers were painted in body colour. Inside came better soundproofing, higher-grade materials and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering as standard. Most versions had disc brakes on all four wheels.

The B4 also absorbed the separate Audi 90. Its five-cylinder engines moved into the 80 range, and from then on the 80 covered everything from a 66 kW (90 PS) four to a V6. The Audi 80 overview shows how this fits the 1966–1995 story of the nameplate.

Saloon, Avant and the fast relatives

The B4 was a four-door saloon from launch, joined in summer 1992 by the Avant estate. More than 177,000 Avants were built out of a total of over 826,000 B4 cars, according to German sources. Thanks to the Avant, the B4 also has a place among classic station wagons.

The Coupé and the Cabriolet sold alongside it were based on the earlier B3 structure, not the B4. The Coupé ended in 1996 and the Cabriolet in August 2000.

Two high-performance cars used the B4 body. The S2, with a 2.2-litre turbocharged five-cylinder of 169 kW (230 PS) and a six-speed manual, came as an Avant and, in 1993, as a saloon of which only 306 were made. The RS2 Avant, developed with Porsche and assembled at Neckarsulm, produced 232 kW (315 PS) and 410 Nm and was quoted at 262 km/h (163 mph). Both are usually catalogued as models of their own.

For touring-car homologation, Audi built 2,500 examples of the 80 quattro Competition in 1994. It used a 16-valve 2.0-litre with 103 kW (140 PS), permanent quattro, S2 bumpers and a rear spoiler.

B4 engines and gearboxes

The B4 range ran from a 1.6-litre four to the 2.8 V6, with two 1.9-litre diesels. Figures below are from the ADAC catalogue and Wikipedia; power is given in kW with the original PS value.

A five-speed manual was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. Quattro four-wheel drive could be ordered with most petrol engines, initially only with the five-speed manual; diesels stayed front-wheel drive. Quattro cars have a wheelbase about 1 cm shorter and a slightly wider rear track than the front-drive versions.

The two V6 versions show the gap in the range. ADAC lists the 2.6 E at 212 km/h (132 mph) and 9.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, against 174 km/h (108 mph) and 14.1 seconds for the TDI. The diesel uses far less fuel, though: 5.1 L/100 km in the old one-third mix, compared with 9.2 L/100 km for the V6. Later diesel cars took the TDI idea much further.

Dimensions of the B4 saloon

Saloon dimensions are identical across the engine range; weights differ by engine. The table uses ADAC figures for the 1.9 TDI saloon, with the 2.6 E where noted.

ADAC does not give separate figures for the Avant in its listing, so they are not included here.

Safety equipment year by year

The B4 arrived before crash-test ratings existed in Europe. Euro NCAP began testing in 1997, so no B4 has a star rating, and results for later Audis do not apply to it.

What changed was the standard equipment. Early cars relied on Procon-ten, Audi's cable system that pulled the steering wheel away and tightened the front belts in a frontal crash. From January 1993 ABS was fitted as standard to nearly every version, the basic 2.0 being the exception. A driver airbag was fitted as standard from model year 1994, and the passenger airbag, an extra in 1994, became standard for model year 1995.

For a buyer this makes the build date important. A 1994 or 1995 car will usually have ABS and at least one airbag, while a 1991–1992 car may have neither.

Choosing a B4 today

The best B4 depends on what the car is for. These pointers follow from the specification data above:

• Daily use and economy: the 1.9 TDI, front-wheel drive only, with 182 Nm from 2,300 rpm.
• Balanced petrol: the 2.0 E with 85 kW (115 PS), the most common version and the easiest to find parts for.
• Smooth and quick: the 2.6 E or 2.8 E V6, available with quattro; ADAC quotes 212 km/h for the 2.6 E.
• Load space: an Avant, ideally a later car with airbags and ABS.
• Collector interest: the quattro Competition, S2 or RS2, which need specialist inspection.

A model-year 1994 "Europa" edition added alloy wheels, electric mirrors, an airbag steering wheel and rear head restraints, which makes it a well-equipped find. The B4's replacement, the Audi A4, arrived in November 1994. For other models of the brand, see the Audi catalogue and our wider list of German cars.